New Zealand (Aotearoa)

©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd

Bay of Islands & Northland (p123)

Auckland (p62) Rotorua & Waikato & the Bay of Plenty Coromandel (p278) Peninsula Taupo & the (p166) Central Plateau (p250) Taranaki & Whanganui The East Coast (p216) (p319) Marlborough & Nelson #_ Wellington (p382) Region (p351) The West Coast (p425) Christchurch & Canterbury Queenstown (p457) & Wanaka (p540) Dunedin & Otago Fiordland & (p508) Southland (p575)

THIS EDITION WRITTEN AND RESEARCHED BY Charles Rawlings-Way, Brett Atkinson, Sarah Bennett, Peter Dragicevich, Lee Slater PLAN YOUR TRIP ON THE ROAD

Welcome to AUCKLAND...... 62 TARANAKI New Zealand...... 4 Auckland...... 63 & WHANGANUI. . . . 216 New Zealand Map...... 6 Hauraki Gulf Islands. . . 100 New Plymouth ...... 217 New Zealand’s Top 20 ...... 8 Rangitoto Mt Taranaki (Egmont & Motutapu Islands. . . . 101 National Park) ...... 226 Need to Know ...... 20 Waiheke Island...... 102 Surf Highway 45...... 230 What’s New...... 22 Great Barrier Island. . . . 109 Whanganui ...... 233 If You Like…...... 23 West Auckland ...... 113 Whanganui Month by Month...... 27 North Auckland. . . . . 117 National Park ...... 238 Itineraries ...... 31 Palmerston North . . . . . 244 Hiking in New Zealand. . . 36 BAY OF ISLANDS Skiing & Snowboarding & NORTHLAND. . . . 123 TAUPO in New Zealand...... 43 Whangarei District. . . . 126 & THE CENTRAL PLATEAU...... 250 Extreme New Zealand. . . 48 Mangawhai ...... 126 Food & Drink...... 52 Whangarei...... 129 Taupo...... 251 Travel with Children. . . . 55 Tutukaka Coast & the Turangi & Around...... 262 Regions at a Glance. . . .. 57 Poor Knights Islands. . . . 134 Tongariro National Park. . .. 266 Bay of Islands...... 136 Whakapapa Village. . . . . 271 Russell...... 139 National Park Village. . . . 272 MATTEO COLOMBO / GETTY IMAGES © Paihia & Waitangi. . . . . 142 Ohakune ...... 274 Kerikeri...... 147 ROTORUA & THE The Far North...... 151 BAY OF PLENTY. . . 278 Doubtless Bay...... 153 Cape Reinga Rotorua ...... 279 & Ninety Mile Beach. . . . 155 Tauranga ...... 298 Ahipara...... 158 Mt Maunganui...... 304 Hokianga...... 159 Whakatane ...... 310 Opononi & Omapere. . . . 161 Opotiki...... 317 Kauri Coast...... 162 AUCKLAND P63 THE EAST COAST. . . 319 WAIKATO & THE Pacific Coast Hwy . . . . . 322 COROMANDEL Gisborne ...... 325 PENINSULA. . . . . 166 DOUG PEARSON / GETTY IMAGES © Te Urewera Hamilton ...... 169 National Park ...... 332 Raglan ...... 175 Napier ...... 336 Te Awamutu...... 180 Hastings & Around. . . . . 344 Cambridge...... 181 Cape Kidnappers...... 349 Matamata ...... 183 WELLINGTON Waitomo Caves...... 187 REGION...... 351 Thames ...... 197 Wellington...... 353 Coromandel Town . . . . . 200 Kapiti Coast ...... 373 Whitianga...... 204 The Wairarapa...... 376 MT TARANAKI P226 Waihi & Waihi Beach. . . . 212 Contents

UNDERSTAND

MARLBOROUGH Mt Somers...... 492 New Zealand & NELSON...... 382 Peel Forest...... 493 Today ...... 608 Picton...... 383 Timaru...... 494 History...... 610 Marlborough Sounds. . . . 388 Geraldine...... 496 Environment...... 620 Queen Charlotte Track. . .. 390 Lake Tekapo ...... 498 Māori Culture...... 626 Kenepuru Twizel...... 500 & Pelorus Sounds . . . . . 392 Aoraki/Mt Cook Arts & Music...... 634 Blenheim...... 393 National Park ...... 503 Kaikoura...... 398 DUNEDIN SURVIVAL Nelson ...... 403 & OTAGO ...... 508 Motueka...... 411 GUIDE Omarama...... 509 Abel Tasman National Park ...... 414 Waitaki Valley...... 511 Directory A–Z...... 640 Golden Bay...... 418 Oamaru ...... 512 Kahurangi Dunedin...... 518 Transport...... 652 National Park ...... 422 Otago Peninsula...... 528 Index...... 661 Nelson Lakes Naseby...... 533 National Park ...... 423 Lauder, Omakau Map Legend...... 670 & Ophir...... 534 THE WEST COAST. . . 425 Alexandra...... 534 Murchison Clyde ...... 537 & Buller Gorge ...... 427 Cromwell...... 538 Reefton ...... 428 Westport & Around . . . . . 430 QUEENSTOWN Karamea & Around . . . . . 433 & WANAKA ...... 540 Punakaiki & Paparoa Queenstown ...... 541 National Park ...... 436 Glenorchy & Around . . . . 559 Greymouth ...... 437 Arrowtown...... 562 Hokitika...... 441 Wanaka...... 566 Westland Tai Poutini National Park ...... 447 Cardrona...... 572 Franz Josef Glacier ...... 447 Makarora...... 574 Fox Glacier...... 451 FIORDLAND Haast Region...... 454 & SOUTHLAND. . . . 575 SPECIAL FEATURES CHRISTCHURCH Fiordland...... 577 Te Anau ...... 577 Hiking in & CANTERBURY. . . 457 New Zealand...... 36 Christchurch...... 460 Milford Sound...... 585 Manapouri...... 587 Skiing & Snowboarding Banks Peninsula...... 478 in New Zealand...... 43 Doubtful Sound ...... 587 Hanmer Springs...... 484 Extreme New Zealand. . .. 48 Waipara Valley...... 487 Invercargill...... 590 Environment...... 620 Selwyn District...... 488 The Catlins ...... 595 Māori Culture...... 626 Methven...... 490 Stewart Island ...... 599 ©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd 31

Itineraries

•#Bay of Islands É

AUCKLAND •#

Rotorua

•#É T A S M A N S E A •# Taupo Tongariro ÷#

National Park É

Marlborough

Sounds É •#

Marlborough É #_É Wellington

•# Wine Region É

S O U T H É P A C I F I C O C E A N

Christchurch •#

2 WEEKS North & South

From the top of the north to halfway down the south, here’s a quick-fire taste of New Zealand’s best. Kick things off in Auckland: it’s NZ’s biggest city, with awesome restaurants and bars, galleries and boutiques, beaches and bays. Not an urbanite? Hoof it a few hours north to the salt-licked Bay of Islands for a couple of days of R&R. Set your bearings southwards to Rotorua, a unique geothermal hot spot: geysers, mud pools, volcanic vents and Māori culture make for an engaging experience. Further south, progressive Taupo has the staggeringly beautiful Tongariro National Park nearby. Get into some tramping, mountain biking or skydiving, then boot it down to Wellington, a hip little city with an irrepressible arts scene. Across Cook Strait, see what all the fuss is about in the Marlborough Wine Region. If you’re not a wine fan, the hypnotically hushed inlets, ranges and waterways of the Marlborough Sounds are nearby. Swinging further south, cruise into Christchurch for some southern culture and hospitality. 32

Bay of Islands •#

É Waiheke Island •# AUCKLAND •#É Coromandel •#Peninsula PLAN YOUR TRIP TRIP YOUR PLAN •#Rotorua

•#Napier Hawke's Bay•# #– Wine Country

T A S M A N É S E A

É #_ WELLINGTON •# Marlborough It •# Wine Region i nerar

É Kaikoura

•# Christchurch É

i es S O U T H •# É P A C I F I C Milford Sound Queenstown O C E A N

•# É •# •# Otago Peninsula Dunedin

4 WEEKS Kiwi Classics

Classy cities, geothermal eruptions, fantastic wine, Māori culture, glaciers, extreme activities, isolated beaches and forests: just a few of our favourite NZ things. Aka the ‘City of Sails’, Auckland is a South Pacific melting pot. Spend a few days shopping, eating and drinking: this is NZ at its most cosmopolitan. Make sure you get out onto the harbour on a ferry or a yacht, and find a day to explore the beaches and wineries on Waiheke Island. Truck north to the Bay of Islands for a dose of aquatic adventure (dolphins, sailing, sunning yourself on deck), then scoot back southeast to check out the forests and holiday beaches on the Coromandel Peninsula. Further south in Rotorua, get a nose full of egg gas, confront a 30ft geyser, giggle at volcanic mud bubbles and experience a Māori cultural performance (work your haka into shape). Cruise down to Napier on the East Coast, NZ’s archetypal art-deco sun city. While you’re here, don’t miss the bottled offerings of the Hawke’s Bay Wine Country (…ohh, the chardonnay). Down in Wellington, the coffee’s hot, the beer’s cold and wind from the politicians generates its own low-pressure system. This is NZ’s arts capital: catch a live band, some buskers, a gallery opening or some theatre. Swan over to the South Island for a couple of weeks to experience the best the south has to offer. Start with a tour through the sauvignon blanc heartland of the Marlbor- ough Wine Region, then chill for a few days between the mountains and the whales offshore in laid-back Kaikoura. Next stop is the southern capital Christchurch, rapidly finding its feet again after the earthquakes. Follow the coast road south to the wildlife-rich Otago Peninsula, jutting abstractly away from the Victorian facades of Scottish-flavoured and student-filled Dunedin. Catch some live music while you’re in town. Head inland via SH8 to bungy- and ski-obsessed Queenstown. If you have time, detour over to Fiordland for an unforgettable encounter with Milford Sound, before returning to Queenstown for your flight back to Auckland. 33 PLAN YOUR TRIP Itineraries

DOUG PEARSON / GETTY IMAGES ©

Glacier (p451) (p398) and the Top: Hikers,Top: Fox Kaikoura Range Bottom: Kaikoura snowcapped Seaward

OLIVER STREWE / GETTY IMAGES © 34

Cape Reinga •# S O U T H P A C I F I C

O C E A N S O U T H É P A C I F I C Bay of O C E A N

PLAN YOUR TRIP TRIP YOUR PLAN É Islands

•# É AUCKLAND •#

Waipoua #÷ É Kauri Forest TA S M A N É S E A É

É É Goat Island Raglan •# Marine Reserve É É •# •# Waitomo Caves •# É

T A S M A N Rotorua É It S E A Rangitoto •#

Island É i nerar •# Whitianga É East AUCKLAND •# •# •# Karekare & Piha •# É Waiheke Mt Taranaki Coast #÷ Island R •# Napier Waitakere Ranges É •# National Park É Hawke's Bay

i es Whanganui •# Wine Country

É É Palmerston North •#

Raglan •# É É •#Wairarapa •# Waitomo WELLINGTON #_ Caves

Auckland 10 2 Northern Exposure DAYS Encounter WEEKS

Is there another 1.4-million-strong city Three-quarters of New Zealanders live on with access to two oceans and vibrant the North Island – time to find out why! Polynesian culture? Begin in Auckland, NZ’s biggest city. Auckland also offers stellar bars and Eat streets abound: try Ponsonby Rd in restaurants, museums, islands and beach- Ponsonby, K Rd in Newton, and New es. Check out the Māori and South Pacific North Rd in Kingsland. Hike up One Tree Islander exhibits at Auckland Museum, Hill (Maungakiekie) to burn off resultant then wander across the Domain to K Rd calories, and don’t miss the Auckland Art for lunch. Pay a visit to the grand Auckland Gallery and Auckland Museum. Art Gallery and the iconic Sky Tower, then Venture south through geothermal Roto- Ponsonby for dinner and drinks. rua – home to some truly amazing volcanic Ferry over to Rangitoto Island, then sights – then cruise over to the sunny East chug into Devonport for a meal. Have a look Coast. By the seaside and encircled by the at the tall timber in Waitakere Ranges chardonnay vines of Hawke’s Bay Wine Regional Park, or check out the wild surf Country, art-deco Napier is a hit with at Karekare and Piha, then hit the Bri- architecture buffs. Heading south, follow tomart restaurants. Have breakfast in Mt SH2 into the sheepy/winey region of Wai- Eden, climb Maungawhau, then ferry-hop to rarapa, before driving over the Rimutaka Waiheke Island for wineries and beaches. Range into hip, art-obsessed Wellington. Take your pick of activities within easy Looping back northwest to Auckland, reach of the big smoke: snorkelling at pick and choose your pit stops: the New Goat Island Marine Reserve, sailing Zealand Rugby Museum in Palmerston the Bay of Islands, ocean-gazing at Cape North, some crafty glass in Whanganui, Reinga, ogling giant trees at Waipoua or the epic Mt Taranaki, rising like Kauri Forest, delving into Waitomo Olympus behind New Plymouth. Go un- Caves, surfing at Raglan or beaching derground at Waitomo Caves, or surf the yourself at Whitianga. point breaks near Raglan. •

# 35

Marlborough Sounds Nelson Golden Bay•# •# T A S M A N Abel Tasman#÷ S E A

National Park •# É •#

Marlborough TRIP YOUR PLAN

Wine Region T A S M A N É S E A •# Franz Josef Glacier Kaikoura & Fox Glacier Christchurch

T A S M A N É •# •# S E A Aoraki/ É Franz Josef Glacier R •#

& Fox Glacier •# •#Christchurch É Mt Cook Banks •# Peninsula

É Banks É Peninsula É It

•#Wanaka Wanaka Wanaka

Glenorchy •# i nerar •# •# É •#•# •#Oamaru •# Queenstown •# •# Gibbston Queenstown •#

•# •# •# É Gibbston Valley Valley É •#

Queenstown i es Doubtful É Doubtful Sound Glenorchy Sound •# Catlins S O U T H P A C I F I C•# O C E A N S O U T H P A C I F I C O C E A N

3 10 WEEKS Southern Circuit DAYS Winter Wanderer

Winging into Christchurch to launch Fly into Christchurch for a day or two to this three-week escapade, you’ll find a acclimatise, day-trip to the Banks Peninsu- vibrant city rebuilding post-earthquakes. la, then drive south to see snowy Aoraki/ Grab a coffee at a cafe (try Addington Cof- Mt Cook. Continuing south, international- fee Co-op or Supreme Supreme), then check ist Queenstown offers world-class skiing, out the excellent Canterbury Museum and great restaurants and a kickin’ nocturnal the Avon River, cutting lazily through the scene. Coronet Peak is the area’s oldest ski Botanic Gardens. field, with treeless slopes, consistent gradi- City saturated? Visit the geologically/ ents and excellent skiing for all levels (great culturally eccentric Banks Peninsula, for snowboarders, too). The visually remark- then head north for a wildlife encounter able Remarkables are more family-friendly. in Kaikoura. Continue through to the Had enough snowy slopes? Take a drive famous Marlborough Wine Region, and around Lake Wakatipu to gorgeous Glen- lose a day on the whisper-still waterways orchy; or lose an afternoon in the fab win- of the Marlborough Sounds. eries of the Gibbston Valley. Alternatively, Detour west through artsy Nelson to Queenstown’s extreme activities keep the Abel Tasman National Park and eco winter chills at bay. friendly Golden Bay. Southbound, dawdle As an alternative to Queenstown, head to down the dramatic West Coast with its Wanaka (Queenstown’s little brother – all wilderness and eye-popping Franz Josef the benefits but none of the hype). Ski fields Glacier and Fox Glacier. From here, near here include Treble Cone, Cardrona track inland through to hip/hippie Wa- and Snow Farm New Zealand, NZ’s only naka and ski-central Queenstown. From commercial Nordic (cross-country) ski area. here, desolate Doubtful Sound is mes- merising, while the overgrown deep-south From Wanaka, take an overnight trip Catlins are perfectly chilled out. to Westland Tai Poutini National Park on the West Coast to check out Franz Josef Back up the east coast, wheel through Glacier and Fox Glacier. Backtrack to Dunedin to surprisingly hip Oamaru, Queenstown for your next flight. before rolling back into Christchurch. ©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd 670

Map Legend

Sights Information Routes Beach Bank Tollway Bird Sanctuary Embassy/Consulate Freeway Buddhist Hospital/Medical Primary Castle/Palace Internet Secondary Christian Police Tertiary Confucian Post Office Lane Hindu Telephone Unsealed road Islamic Toilet Road under construction Jain Tourist Information Plaza/Mall Jewish Other Information Steps Monument Tunnel Museum/Gallery/Historic Building Geographic Pedestrian overpass Ruin Beach Walking Tour Shinto Gate Walking Tour detour Sikh Hut/Shelter Path/Walking Trail Taoist Lighthouse Winery/Vineyard Lookout Boundaries Zoo/Wildlife Sanctuary Mountain/Volcano International Other Sight Oasis State/Province Park Disputed Activities, Pass Regional/Suburb Courses & Tours Picnic Area Marine Park Bodysurfing Waterfall Cliff Diving Wall Canoeing/Kayaking Population Course/Tour Capital (National) Hydrography Sento Hot Baths/Onsen Capital (State/Province) River, Creek Skiing City/Large Town Intermittent River Snorkelling Town/Village Canal Surfing Water Swimming/Pool Transport Walking Airport Dry/Salt/Intermittent Lake Windsurfing Border crossing Reef Other Activity Bus Cable car/Funicular Areas Sleeping Cycling Airport/Runway Sleeping Ferry Camping Metro station Beach/Desert Monorail Cemetery (Christian) Eating Parking Eating Petrol station Cemetery (Other) Subway station Glacier Drinking & Nightlife Taxi Drinking & Nightlife Train station/Railway Mudflat Cafe Tram Park/Forest Underground station Entertainment Other Transport Sight (Building) Entertainment Sportsground Shopping Note: Not all symbols displayed above Swamp/Mangrove Shopping appear on the maps in this book ©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd

Peter Dragicevich Auckland, Dunedin & Otago, Queenstown & Wanaka, Fiordland & Southland After nearly a decade working for off-shore publishing companies, Peter’s life has come full circle, returning to his home city of Auckland. As Managing Editor of Express newspaper he spent much of the nineties writing about the local arts, club and bar scene. This is the 5th edition of the New Zealand guidebook to which he has contributed and, after dozens of Lonely Planet assignments, it remains his favourite gig. Read more about Peter at: http://auth.lonelyplanet.com/profiles/peterdragicevich

Contributing Writers Professor James Belich wrote the History chapter. James is one of NZ’s pre-eminent historians and the award-winning author of The New Zealand Wars, Making Peoples and Paradise Reforged. He has also worked in TV – New Zealand Wars was screened in NZ in 1998.

Tony Horwitz wrote the Captain James Cook boxed text in the History chapter. Tony is a Pulitzer- winning reporter and nonfiction author. His fascination with James Cook, and with travel, took him around NZ, Australia and the Pacific while researching Blue Latitudes (alternatively titled Into the Blue), part biography of Cook and part travelogue.

John Huria (Ngai Tahu, Muaupoko) wrote the Māori Culture chapter. John has an editorial, research and writing background with a focus on Māori writing and culture. He was senior editor for Māori publishing company Huia and now runs an editorial and publishing services company, Ahi Text Solutions Ltd (www.ahitextsolutions.co.nz).

Josh Kronfeld wrote the Surfing in New Zealand boxed text in the Extreme New Zealand chapter. Josh is an ex–All Black flanker, whose passion for surfing NZ’s beaches is legendary and who found travelling for rugby a way to surf other great breaks around the world.

Gareth Shute wrote the Music section in the Arts & Music chapter. Gareth is the author of four books, including Hip Hop Music in Aotearoa and NZ Rock 1987–2007. He is also a musician and has toured the UK, Europe and Australia as a member of the Ruby Suns and the Brunettes. He now plays in indie soul group The Cosbys.

Vaughan Yarwood wrote the Environment chapter. Vaughan is an Auckland-based writer whose books include The History Makers: Adventures in New Zealand Biography, The Best of New Zea- land: A Collection of Essays on NZ Life and Culture by Prominent Kiwis, which he edited, and the regional history Between Coasts: From Kaipara to Kawau. He has written widely for NZ and international publications and is the former associate editor of New Zealand Geographic, for which he has also written for many years. AOUR beat-up old STORY car, a few dollars in the pocket and a sense of adventure. In 1972 that’s all Tony and Maureen Wheeler needed for the trip of a lifetime – across Europe and Asia overland to Australia. It took several months, and at the end – broke but inspired – they sat at their kitchen table writing and stapling together their first travel guide, Across Asia on the Cheap. Within a week they’d sold 1500 copies. Lonely Planet was born. Today, Lonely Planet has offices in Dublin, Franklin, London, Melbourne, Oakland, Beijing and Delhi, with more than 600 staff and writers. We share Tony’s belief that ‘a great guidebook should do three things: inform, educate and amuse’. OUR WRITERS Charles Rawlings-Way Taranaki & Whanganui, East Coast (North Island), Wellington English by birth, Australian by chance, All Blacks fan by choice: Charles’s early understanding of Aotearoa was less than comprehensive (sheep, mountains, sheep on mountains...). He realised there was more to it when a wandering uncle returned with a faux-jade tiki in 1981. He wore it with pride until he saw the NZ cricket team’s beige uniforms in 1982... Mt Taranaki’s snowy summit, Napier’s art deco deliv- erance and Whanganui’s raffish charm have helped him forgive: he’s once again smitten with the country’s phantasmal landscapes, disarming locals, and determination to sculpt its own political and indigenous destiny. Charles also wrote the Planning, Understand and Survival Guide chapters.

Brett Atkinson Bay of Islands & Northland, Waikato & Coromandel Peninsula, Taupo & the Cen- tral Plateau, Rotorua & the Bay of Plenty Born in Rotorua, but now a proud res- ident of Auckland, Brett explored the top half of New Zealand’s North Island for this edition. Excursions to Northland, the Coromandel Peninsula and Tongariro National Park echoed family holidays from an earlier century, and rediscovering his home town also evoked great memories. Brett’s contributed to Lonely Planet guidebooks spanning Europe, Asia and the Pacific, and covered around 50 countries as a food and travel writer. See www.brett-atkinson.net for his latest adventures.

Sarah Bennett & Lee Slater Marlborough & Nelson, West Coast (South Island), Christchurch & Canterbury Sarah and Lee specialise in NZ travel, with a particular focus on outdoor adventure including hiking, mountain biking and camping. In addition to five editions of the New Zealand guidebook, they are also co-authors of Lonely Planet’s Hiking & Tramping in New Zealand and New Zealand’s Best Trips. Read more at www. bennettandslater.co.nz. Sarah and Lee also wrote the Skiing & Snowboarding, Hiking and Extreme New Zealand chapters.

OVER MORE PAGE WRITERS Published by Lonely Planet Global Limited CRN 554153 Although the authors and Lonely Planet have taken all reasona- 18th edition – Sep 2016 ble care in preparing this book, we make no warranty about the ISBN 978 1 78657 024 6 accuracy or completeness of its content and, to the maximum © Lonely Planet 2016 Photographs © as indicated 2016 extent permitted, disclaim all liability arising from its use. 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Printed in China All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be copied, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise, except brief extracts for the purpose of review, and no part of this publication may be sold or hired, without the written permission of the publisher. Lonely Planet and the Lonely Planet logo are trademarks of Lonely Planet and are registered in the US Patent and Trademark Office and in other countries. Lonely Planet does not allow its name or logo to be appropriated by commercial establishments, such as retailers, restaurants or hotels. Please let us know of any misuses: lonelyplanet.com/ip. ©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd

© Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd. To make it easier for you to use, access to this chapter is not digitally restricted. In return, we think it’s fair to ask you to use it for personal, non-commercial purposes only. In other words, please don’t upload this chapter to a peer-to-peer site, mass email it to everyone you know, or resell it. See the terms and conditions on our site for a longer way of saying the above - ‘Do the right thing with our content.’